Goldfrapp
Head First
(Mute)

I’m glad I gave this album multiple listens before writing this, or I might have written about my first impression of an album that definitely needs to grow on you before you say anything. I’m not a huge fan of 80’s music, yet I like what Goldfrapp has taken and done with this decade. Head First, Goldfrapp’s fifth album, is fleeting, romantic, and dark at the same time. The first song, “Rocket,” appropriately begins with a takeoff, has a feel-good vibe, and works in some synthesized guitars a la Van Halen’s “Jump,” whilst the angelic beauty of Sarah Goldfrapp’s voice flutters around. The softer tempo and feeling of this song evoke memories of 2008’s Seventh Tree. The second track, my favorite, is called “Believer” and has a more infectious beat, while the third song, “Alive,” rolls right in afterwards with a nice pulsation that reintroduces the synthesized guitars, backed by fittingly romantic lyrics. “Dreaming” is a darker, more sinister turning point on the album, but the pulsation still drives the album forward in a darkened club atmosphere. The next track, “Head First,” is both reflective and emotional, whilst the next track, “Hunt,” is a bit moodier. “Shiny and Warm” is the falling action, the point at which the music starts to cool off again, and feet start tapping. “I Wanna Life” takes this a bit further, and then there’s a rather unique ending to the album: “Voicething” a chorus of Sarahs come together and then separate off from one another as this bright album with hints of darkness ends peacefully.